Man mourns fiancée killed in Salama crash weeks after dowry ceremony

• Leonea Baraza lost his fiancée, Veronica Ngandi, in the Friday night crash as she travelled with fellow Catholic faithful to the Subukia Shrine for the National Prayer Day.

A man whose fiancée was among those killed in the Salama road crash along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway has recounted their final conversation, just weeks after the couple held a dowry ceremony ahead of their planned wedding.

Leonea Baraza lost his fiancée, Veronica Ngandi, in the Friday night crash as she travelled with fellow Catholic faithful to the Subukia Shrine for the National Prayer Day.

The couple had been engaged since 2024 and were preparing to formalise their union after more than two years of planning.

According to Baraza, the two held their dowry ceremony in Kitui County in August and had received the blessing of their families to proceed with wedding preparations.

He said they had planned to begin making final arrangements for their wedding after the National Prayer Day celebrations, with the ceremony expected to take place in February.

“Nilikuwa nimepewa go ahead na wazazi ya kuendelea na mipango ya harusi. Harusi yenyewe nilikuwa nimepanga kufanya mwezi wa pili,” Baraza said.

Their plans were, however, abruptly shattered following the fatal crash at Salama in Makueni County.

Baraza said he had accompanied Ngandi to St Mathias Mulumba Catholic Church on Friday, where he saw her off as she embarked on the pilgrimage.

The couple remained in communication during the journey, with Ngandi calling him after the group reached Manyatta along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway.

Later that night, at around 11.30pm, Baraza tried calling her before going to bed, but his calls went unanswered.

“Kupiga simu ikawa haipokelewi. Inaingia lakini haipokelewi. Nikapiga mara ya pili ikaingia haipokelewi, nikapiga ya tatu tena nikasema pengine ni uchovu wa safari,” he recounted.

Baraza said he woke up at around 5am on Saturday and tried reaching Ngandi again, but there was still no response.

About an hour later, news of the accident emerged.

He travelled to Sultan Hamud on Saturday, where the devastating reality of his fiancée's death was confirmed.

“Kwa kweli ilikuwa ni huzuni sana maana sikuwa natarajia kitu kama hiyo na sikujua hiyo Friday ndio siku ya mwisho ningeongea na yeye,” he said.

What had been months of preparations for a wedding have now turned into funeral arrangements.

Nine of the 17 bodies from the crash have since arrived in Mombasa as families and church officials begin burial preparations.

Catholic Church spokesperson Armogast Mdawida said church officials would meet the affected families before announcing the burial programme.

“Baada ya kikao hiki tunaanza kikao na wanafamilia na baada ya hiyo tutaweza kutoa ratiba,” Mdawida said.

Leaders and security agencies have meanwhile urged motorists to exercise caution on the roads following the tragedy.